The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-04-08
A Letter from the Hub.

BosTON, MAss.-lt has now reached
that delightful time In the year when
Ito quote from the familiar letters O1
Peppermint Pcrkins) "yOu think II Il
spring until you come around the cor
ner". Woe be unto you If your hat |,
not pressed firmly down to your ears
or securely fastened with pins, YOU
may have the same kind Of 4 race fol-
it that some of us do for wealth and
destination, see it always ahead, but
never quite get firm grasp of it.
All the large stores have had theil
spring openings and among the many
lovely fabrics which you see for sum.
mer dresses are dainty silk grapes, In
dia silks and white alpacas and eve,
the delaincs, which were in favor sc
long ago, are back in all their splendol
of impossible vines Of indigo blue and
bOquets of gay flowers, l think they
are called by another name however.
Jordan, Marsh Il Co. have added to
their arleady immense store, another
department which is situated in the
basement. 1t consists Of everything
one could desire in the shape of the
smaller cooking utensils, much in.
creased stock of Japanese goods, doll.
toys, etc. and last but not least, there
is very inviting lunch counter, where
YOU can obtain dainty and appetizing
food, at a reasonable price.
Cultured Boston, or at least that por-
ton that was able to procure tickets,
after standing in the street for nearly
all Of freezing forenoon, has been at
tending course of lectures in the
Lowell Institute by James Russell
Lowell. OF course every one has read
and admired his works, but 1t has been
said that it would be hard to find q
worse speaker than he, and after lis
tening to him, you could hardly doubt
the truth of the statement. His lee
lures are all delivered in such a hesita-
ting manner that you would almost be
led to suppose that they were extempo-
raneous and then you have to listen
with all your ears to hear. When he
says anything especially witty he drops
his voice SO that even a slight cough
from some one in the audience, will
prevent you from catching a word of
it. His personal appearance at the lee
lures is quite striking, since he wears a
dress suit, has his beard cut with two
points, one ct each side and parts his
hair exactly in the middle.
1t was our privilege to visit with a
party of students, one # the free kin
dergarten schools Of the city. The one
in question was situated on Hudson St.
one of the poorest localities in the city,
we had a much better opportunity
there for seeing just what the results
were than at some of the private
schools, for these had none of the ad-
vantages of home training from infan-
cy. All the requirements necessary to
admission are that each child must be
clearly dressed. The seventy-tive chill
dren marched in at the opening of
school, keeping step to a lively march
on the piano, the teacher taking each
little one by the hand as they came
through the door and wishing them
good morning and not forgetting to
compliment them for clean apron, or
nicely curled hair. Then they march
ed around, took their little chairs,
which had rubber caps OH the legs to
prevent noise. Theyanearly all turned
their sunny little faces to us and APP
peared to appreciate smile or nod.
After they had repeated childish
prayer in concert and sung under the
direction of the teacher, q drawing les
son was given. We were astonished
to see the little tots four and five years
old, 90 to the board and draw lines and
objects, using both hands at the same
time, one nearly as readily as the other.
After this came recess, which was TAX
ell up in playing instructive games, led
by the teacher. When reassembled
they were given blocks, and with them
built houses, cars, carriages, etc., in
almost every instance they carried out
the idea of building by opposites, when
they put a block OH one side they
would put one ON the other to balance
it. The most perfect order and sys-
tenn prevailed during the entire session,
but the children were happy and felt
no restraint, for they were kept SO
busy doing what they enjoyed that no
time was left for disorder. At noon
while the children were preparing their
own meal of bread, milk, ETC., we were
invited up stairs to see the nursery,
where those that are too young to be-
ong to the school remain while their
are away at work. They are
amused by pleasant faced nurse maid
and when tired are put to sleep in one
Of the many cribs which fill one of the
rooms. These schools exert wonder
full influence for good, some of the
homes of these children have been
changed for the better since
hey entered the school, and Mrs. Shaw
who to a large extent supports these
free schools, must feel repaid hum
lred fold.
The works of the students of the
Art Museum have been on exhibition
It their studio the past week. There
we're very fine life studies, both in
charcoal and oil colors, also designs
,or wall paper, lace work, book covers,
,tc., which showed skill and originate
". The new Normal School Art
building at Back Bay is opened to the
General public on April 9th, and in the
'vening is to be grand reunion of all
he old students, some five or six hum
lred, including the present students,
re invited, among them many who
ave won distinction in their art. 1t
promises to be quite an event in the